Reasons Maia is kidnapped
by Rodlox
Summary: Just a few reasons why Maia might be kidnapped...each reason is a chapter. season 3, postBTB, prethe ep where Maia really is kidnapped.
1. Chapter 1

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Title:Reasons Maia is kidnapped.  
Author:Rodlox.  
Summary:Just a few reasons why Maia might be kidnapped...each reason is a chapter.

Author's notes:This plot idea came to me before I saw the previews during 'Being Tom Baldwin'...but I just couldn't think of whole stories. So I've borrowed from the method of "five things that are definately not true about.  
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ONE:

POV:MAIA.

The room will be lime green with pastel yellow in the windowframes that're up against the ceiling. Someone takes the blindfold away, and I can see with my eyes again. The room is lime green, and just short of the ceiling are pastel yellow windowframes. Standing under one frame is a tall man leaning against the wall. Waiting. Always patient. I look around the room, seeing it empty but for me, him, and - "Aunt April!" I exclaim, running to where she's tied up, forced to lean against the wall on the other side of the room, not moving.

Marco will tell me and mom that my aunt was injected with a strong sedative. After a week of looking, he'll find a near match in a kind of cone snail. Mom'll wonder how many 4400s are paralyzers. "You're okay," I tell my aunt as I untie her wrists and ankles. "You'll be fine," I say, and add, "I'm sorry."

The man waits until I'm done untying before saying, "Hello, Maia Rutledge."

"Skouris," I correct him. "My name is Maia Skouris, Ian Polenko."

He nods. "So it is now. I thought it a courtesy to tell you what you cannot see."

Is he trying to tell me I'm going to change my name back to Rutledge at some point in the future? I wouldn't. I can't see my future, but I know I wouldn't do that. "Thanks," because my parents always told me to say thank you to people who are trying to be nice to you. "Why did you kidnap me?"

"Formality. You see, I know what your answer will be," he tells me.

"Then why did you kidnap me?"

"As I said, formality, mostly." Shrugging broad shoulders, "I saw you here in these circumstances, and who was I to argue?"

"We see what happens," I said glumly, knowing the feeling all too well.

"Why is she here?"

"Motivation," Ian says. "Her role in things to come is rather peripheral, but the key players can best be stirred by their reactions to her. And they do need to be stirred, for the war's sake."

"You're part of the Nova Group," I say.

He nods. "By neccessity -- it was the only way I could stay sane. I'm like you now, Maia Rutledge, I can see the future. For the last two years, however, I was tortured by what I could do."

"You were?" What's worse than seeing the future of everyone but yourself?

"Oh yes," Ian nods, taking a ball out of his pocket and dropping it, catching it when it bounced back up. "Imagine that, for two years," holding the ball between his thumb and index finger, "the only future you could see was whether or not the ball hits the ground," dropping it once more."

I don't say anything. I just try to imagine that, and fail.

"Maia?" aunt April asks, slowly waking up.

"You'll be all right," I tell her. She jerks back, her eyes scared, looking at me like she doesn't recognize me. I guess I deserved that after what I did...I thought you'd forgiven me, aunt April...I guess your goodbye was just you putting a brave face on. "I'm sorry," I tell her, sorry for what I'd done.

She relaxes. "Maia," and hugs me, whispering, "you're real." Normal-voiced, "Maia, am I ever glad to see you..." trailing off. "Check that, I'm sorry you're here."

"No reason for that," Ian says. "You're both free to go."

"Just like that?"

"The Nova Group brought the two of you here as payment in kind, after all I've done for them. They've got no reason to hold either of you any longer than I needed." He pauses. "The name, for the report your sister will file," Ian says, "is Ian Polenko, circa 1991."

And he really does let us go. I'll see you again, Ian.  
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	2. Chapter 2

-  
Title:Reasons Maia is kidnapped.  
Author:Rodlox.  
Summary:Just a few reasons why Maia might be kidnapped...each reason is a chapter.

Author's notes:This plot idea came to me before I saw the previews during 'Being Tom Baldwin'...but I just couldn't think of whole stories. So I've borrowed from the method of "five things that are definately not true about.  
----------------------------

ONE:  
POV:MATTHEW:

"Take her to the safe house," I instruct Daniel. "But give her no assurances that she'll be safe." If she knows, so be it. If she doesn't know, no reason to enlighten her.

"Her?" Daniel asks, looking at the picture in the folder I've handed him. "What's so special about her?" What's special about Maia Skouris? For starters, that Skouris girl nearly ruined everything. She told Jordan that he was going to die. She got NTAC to look into it. There was an investigation.

If it hadn't been for Isabelle, everything would have been thrown asunder. All our plans would have been worthless. I might even be dead.

And all because of a nine-year-old child.

If not for recent events, I'd let her continue on with her life, skipping and playing rope and whatever else it is she does. But with Jordan back, I have to take precautions. The two of them cannot be allowed to team up. None of us would have a chance against them if they started working together.

"She's a danger to the Nova Group. Don't be fooled by her youth...with her power, she could destroy the Nova Group"  
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	3. Chapter 3

-  
Title:Reasons Maia is kidnapped.  
3 Author:Rodlox.  
Summary:Just a few reasons why Maia might be kidnapped...each reason is a chapter.

Author's notes:This plot idea came to me before I saw the previews during 'Being Tom Baldwin'...but I just couldn't think of whole stories. So I've borrowed from the method of "five things that are definately not true about.  
odd note:Yes, banana slugs and geoducks are mascots...heck, Homeland Security has a mountain lion.

-  
THREE:  
MARCO.

Diana opens her door, expecting a police officer or Tom or someone other than me. Why would I be stopping by, after all, in the middle of a case. Maia missing or not, that just doesn't match any previous patterns. "Marco?"

"Yeah," I say, feeling that momentary awkwardness I hope proves to be only momentary. Movies always make this sort of thing out to be easier. And books...well, at least there's no colour out of time interfering.

"Mom!" Maia says, stepping into view from alongside the doorframe, and she gets swept up in a big bear hug by Diana. I stand here, patient. Diana sets Maia down after a bit, and asks her if she's all right, if she wants to talk about what happened... Maia turns around and hugs me, saying, "Goodbye, Marco," and heads inside, leaving me alone with her mother.

"Who found her?" Diana asks me.

I wouldn't say found... "I did," I say.

"And...?"

"Just me."

"And the kidnappers didn't put up a fight?"

She doesn't let me keep it simple: "There was no fight."

"What?" her eyes narrowing.

We always used to say we'd stick together, thick and thin, publish or perish, through grants and funding that dries up. We graduated together, all five of us Banana Slugs. Kept in touch, shared the results of our work, provided it wasn't a national secret.

Then again, we all had enough clearance that classification wasn't an issue. That's how it all started, with a way to open the secrets of the 4400, make it so anyone could have 4400 abilities. They worked on it for two years, in secret, with ol' Marco, numero five keeping abreast of what was going on in the broader world. Good ol' Marco, keeping quiet all this time.

But abducting Maia was too much. It was the one thing I couldn't allow. I couldn't stop them...didn't find out about it until after they'd taken her...but I went and got her back.

Now it's not five. Now it's four and one.

At least they gave me their word they wouldn't kidnap anymore. I believe them...they were never any good at lying to me.

The question is, how much of this is Diana going to believe. "Can I explain?"

"Oh you'd better," she snaps at me. I don't doubt that, in one pocket, she's speed-dialing Nina.

"I kept Maia safe." Yes, best to start with that. Disbelieve the rest, Diana, but please believe that. I explain it all to her.  
-  
the end. 


End file.
